Gemstones are naturally occurring deposits of silicate and non-silicate minerals. Amethyst, citrine, rose quartz, opal, agate, tiger's-eye quartz, sapphire, ruby, emerald, moonstone, amazonite, peridot, garnet, almandite and topaz are a few silicate gemstones. Diamonds are the most highly valued non-silicate gemstones. Because gemstones are so attractive, durable and rare, they are highly valued as material from which gems are formed. The beauty of these gemstone varieties results from their color, luster, and the manner in which they transmit, refract or reflect rays of light. These properties are enchanced when the rough gemstones are cut, faceted, shaped and polished into gems.
The principal factors involved in determining the value of a cut and faceted natural gem is its weight, its depth of color, its transparency, the absence of natural inclusions, the degree of perfection of the cut and shaping, the style of the cut, including any reflected design that can be seen from its table, and its scintillation. An improvement in any of these factors correspondingly increases the value of the gem.
Most improvements relating to gems have been in the area of improved cut or facet designs or methods of manufacture. The United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued numerous patents for a variety of gem products, designs, and gem cutting methods.
Many gemstone structures are known in the prior art. Grossbard (U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,916), Elbe (U.S. Pat. No. 4,308,727), Urban (U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,427), Grossbard (U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,950), Grossbard (U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,949), Grossbard (U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,649), Jones (U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,760), Watermeyer (U.S. Pat. No. 3,796,065), Elbe (U.S. Pat. No. 3,788,097), Polakiewicz (U.S. Pat. No. 3,763,665), Elbe (U.S. Pat. No. 3,665,729), Jones (U.S. Pat. No. 3,528,261) Flad et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,039,280), Goldstein (U.S. Pat. No. 2,340,659) and Schenck (U.S. Pat. No. 2,265,316) all are issued United States patents for specifically designed gem products.
Gennari (U.S. Des. Pat. No. 273,372) is a design patent disclosing a specific gem product.
Karp et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 2,907,187), Santosuosso (U.S. Pat. No. 1,854,958) and Patton (U.S. Pat. No. 668,318) disclose different gem mounting devices.
Cooper (U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,876), Huisman et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,585,764), Leibowitz (U.S. Pat. No. 3,534,510) and Sirakian (U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,692) disclose different methods of cutting gems.
Andrychuk (U.S. Pat. No. 4,083,352), Monnier (U.S. Pat. No. 2,207,869) and Chevassus et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 270,018) disclose and claim different methods of cutting gems and the products produce by such methods.
This invention uses the concepts of "meet point faceting" as described in: Long and Steele, Meet Point Faceting, Volumes 1--5 1985, Sun Press, 2232-78th Ave. S.E., Mercer Island, Wash. 98040.